Reaganland

Reaganland is a narrative history of the American political right in the late 1970s, following the stretch of years that carried Ronald Reagan from the margins of his party to the presidency in 1980. Rick Perlstein traces how conservative activists, politicians, and voters reshaped their movement and the national mood during this period, showing how grassroots energy and shifting public anger turned into a new political coalition.

The book reads as a story of people as much as ideas. Perlstein moves among campaign operatives, party insiders, and everyday citizens, using their experiences to explain how the country's politics changed direction. It is written for readers interested in modern American history and the origins of the conservative movement that still shapes national debate.